On Tuesday, several days after he declared that the District of Columbia’s ban on the carry of handguns outside the home was unconstitutional, U.S. District Court Judge Fredrick Scullin granted a 90-day stay, thus suspending a citizen’s right to bear arms for three months during which time city officials have an opportunity to craft new gun laws regulating the carry of firearms in the District.
Judge Scullin wrote “an immediate 90-day stay is appropriate to provide the city council with an opportunity to enact appropriate legislation consistent with the Court‘s,” according to the Washington Times.
The stay will remain in effect until Oct. 22, which is a compromise of sorts because D.C. Attorney General Irvin B. Nathan wanted a 180-day stay, more time for lawmakers to write carry restrictions and more time to deicide whether to appeal the ruling.
Assuming there is no appeal, one can bet that D.C. officials will push for onerous ‘May-Issue’ carry restrictions that are tantamount to a de facto ban.